Unloading structure for a covered hopper railway car

ABSTRACT

AN UNLOADING LADING FROM THE BOTTOM DISCHARGE OUTLET ON EITHER SIDE OF A COVERED HOPPER RIALWAY CAR. A CONVEYOR STRUCTURE HAVING WHEELS THEREON IS ROLLED BENEATH THE BOTTOM DISCHARGE OUTLET AND OUTWARDLY PROJECTING HORIZONTAL FLANGES ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE CONVEYOR STRUCTURE MATCH INTERFITTING INWARDLY PROJECTING FLANGES ON THE BOTTOM OUTLET WHICH EXTEND IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY OF THE CAR. THE FLANGES ON THE CONVEYOR STRUCTURE SLIDE ALONG THE UPPER SURFACES OF THE INTERFITTING FLANGES ON THE BOTTOM OUTLET TO POSITION THE CONVEYOR ACURRATELY WITH RESPECT TO THE OUTLET. RELEASABLE LATCH MEANS RETAINS CONVEYOR IN POSI-   TION BENEATH THE BOTTOM OUTLET. THE CONVEYOR STRUCTURE INCLUDES A HORIZONTAL PORTION DIRECTLY BENEATH THE OUTLET AND AN UPWARDLY INCLINED PORTION INTEGRAL WITH THE HORIZONTAL PORTION. A WHEELED FRAME IS MOUNTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT ALONG THE UPWARDLY INCLINED PORTION TO ADJUST THE HEIGHT OF THE CONVEYOR.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Richard H. Dugge St. Louis; DennisJ. Schipper, St. Charles; Garth R. Smith, Maryland Heights, Mo. [21]Appl. No. 789,481 [22] Filed Jan. 7, 1969 [45] Patented June 28, 1971[73] Assignee ACF Industries Incorporated New York, N.Y.

[54] UNLOADING STRUCTURE FOR A COVERED HOPPER RAILWAY CAR 4 Claims, 9Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 198/233 [51] lnt.Cl 1. 865g 41/00 [50] Field of Searchl98/233 -5358, 2, 3,4, 5,204; 214/43,45; 105/282 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 588,715 8/1897 lngraham 198/58 2,753,815 7/1956Dorey 105/253 2,631,715 3/1953 Vickers 198/233 2,635,735 4/1953 Smith2,408,952 10/1946 Raney Primary Examiner-Richard E. AegerterAttorney-Eugene N. Riddle ABSTRACT: An unloading structure for unloadingladi ng tom outlet to position the conveyor accurately with respect tothe outlet. Releasable latch means retains the conveyor in positionbeneath the bottom outlet. The conveyor structure includes a horizontalportion directly beneath the outlet and an upwardly inclined portionintegral with the horizontal portion. A wheeled frame is mounted forsliding movement along the upwardly inclined portion to adjust theheight of the conveyor.

PATENTED JUN28 I97! SHEET 1 [IF 6 DENNIS J. SCHIPPER GARTH R. SMITHATTORNEY PATENTEUJUNZBIQH 3587.834

SHEET 2 OF 6 lllllll... llll lllilll/ 3 II II PATENTEU JUN28 l9?! SHEET3 [IF 6 PATENTEU JUN28 um SHEET 5 OF 6 UNLOADING STRUCTURE FOR A COVEREDHOPPER RAILWAY CAR BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONl-Ieretofore, conveyors have been positioned beneath bottom dischargeoutlets of railway hopper cars. However, such conveyors have not beenconnected to the bottom discharge outlet in interfltting relation exceptby the employment in some instances of separate C-clamps to secure theflanges of the outlet to the subjacent conveyor flanges to provide atight fit therebetween.

The present invention is directed to a sliding fit between the flangesof the conveyor and the bottom discharge outlet with inwardly extendingflanges on the conveyor being in supporting relation to outwardlyextending flanges on the conveyor. The conveyor may be inserted fromeither side of the car and has an upwardly inclined conveyor portionwith a wheeled frame mounted thereon for sliding movement to adjust theheight of the conveyor. Releasable latch means upon the accuratepositioning of the conveyor automatically secure the conveyor in properposition beneath the bottom outlet.

FIG. I is a side elevation of the unloading structure comprising thepresent invention and showing a conveyor structure in unloading positionbeneath a bottom discharge outlet of a hopper;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the unloading structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan of the unloading structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2with a portion of the hopper removed;

FIG. 4 is a section taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 but showingthe conveyor structure removed from beneath the bottom discharge outlet;

FIG. 5 is a section taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 2 andillustrating the upper and lower conveyor runs;

FIG. 6 is a section taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 1 and showingmeans to adjust the height of the conveyor structure relative to thehopper;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 1 but showing the conveyorstructure being supported on a surface in the same plane as the uppersurface of the rails;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged top plan of means releasably connecting theconveyor structure beneath the bottom outlet structure; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged side elevation of the releasableconnecting meansshown in FIG. 8.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of theinvention, a hopper structure indicated generally 10 of a railwaycovered hopper car has sides 12 and connected ends 14 leading to abottom discharge opening 16 defined by outer flange 18. Mounted on thelower surface of flange I8 is a bottom outlet structure generallyindicated 20 and having an upper flange 22 secured, such as by welding,to flange 18 as shown in FIG. 4. Bottom outlet structure 20 includesopposed end walls 24 and opposed side walls 26 connected thereto. Asshown in FIG. 2, side walls 26 adjacent their lower ends each comprisean outwardly facing generally channel-shaped member 28 forming an upperhorizontal ledge 30. Secured to the lower leg of each channel-shapedmember 28 is an angleshaped member 32 having a lower inwardly extendingleg or flange 34. End walls 24 each include a lower vertical web 36having an outwardly extending flange 38 thereon as shown in FIG. 4. Aninwardly extending ledge 40 is secured to web 36.

Mounted on ledges 30 and 40 for sliding movement is a gate 42 having apair of racks 44 secured to the underside thereof. A pinion shaft 46secured to outlet structure 20 has pinions 48 engaging racks 44 formoving gate 42 between open and closed positions. Channel-shaped member28 adjacent pinions 48 has a suitable slot therein to receive gate 42and gate 42 controls the discharge of lading from bottom outletstructure 20.

Bottom' outlet structure 20 is particularly adapted to receive aconveyor structure generally indicated 50 therebeneath. Conveyorstructure 50 includes a wheeled frame 52 having large diameter wheels 54mounted on shaft 55 adjacent one side of frame 52 and small diametercaster wheels 56 mounted adjacent the other side of frame 52. Conveyorstructure 50 is easily rolled along a supporting surface S on wheels 54and 56.

Conveyor structure 50 includes a generally horizontal portion 58 and anintegral upwardly inclined portion 60. Horizontal portion 58 is of alength to fit between rails R and bottom outlet structure 20. Conveyorstructure 50 has an endless conveyor generally indicated 62 formed of aplurality of pivotally connected links 64 having slats 65 extendingacross the width of the conveyor to form a supporting surface for thelading to be unloaded. Horizontal portion 58 has a shaft 66 withsprockets 68 thereon and inclined portion. 60 has a shaft 70 withsprockets 71 thereon; Suitable rollers 72 and 73 are provided to changethe direction of theconveyor. To drive conveyor 62, a motor 74 drivesbevel gear 75 in mesh with bevel gear 76 on shaft 70. Pushers 78 arespaced on slats 65 at predetermined intervals along the length of theconveyor for moving and restraining the lading being unloaded frombottom outlet structure 20.

The conveyor housing includes sides 80 having an angleshaped member 82along their upper surfaces. Angle-shaped members 82 include outwardlyextending support flanges or legs 84 as shown in FIG. 2. Sides 80 arespaced to fit angleshaped members 82 between the superjacentangle-shaped members 32 of bottom outlet structure 20 withflanges 84overlying flanges 34 in a supporting relation. An intermediate partition83 is secured between opposed sides 80.

To position conveyor structure 50 beneath bottom outlet structure 20,flanges 84 are initially positioned slightly above flanges 34 inmatching relation and then conveyor structure 50 is pushed manuallybeneath bottom outlet structure 20. Leg 84 is cutaway adjacent an end ofhorizontal portion 58 and an extension 85 secured to member 82 form astop upon abutting superjacent angle-shaped member 32. Extension 85forms a clevis and a latch 86 is pivotally mounted on clevis pin 87 asshown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Latch 86 has an outer detent 88 adapted to enteran opening 89 in angle-shaped member 32 upon proper positioning ofconveyor structure 50 beneath bottom outlet structure 20. A spring 90urges latch 86 against a stop 91 on extension 85. Latch 86 may bemanually depressed to release conveyor structure 50 for removal frombeneath bottom outlet structure 20.

As shown in FIG. 7 the elevation of the supporting surface S of conveyorstructure 50 adjacent rails R may vary. Thus, wheeled frame 52 isadjustable in height to vary the elevation of horizontal portion 58. Anadjusting screw 96 having a handwheel 98 on an end thereof is mounted onan end cross member of frame 52. Conveyor sides 80 along inclinedconveyor portion 60 have outwardly extending lower flanges 100 andinwardly extending upper flanges 102 as shown in FIG. 6. Upper verticalside portions 104 confine the lading on the upper run of the conveyor.Secured to the lower surfaces of flanges 100 is a cross support member106 having a support plate 108 secured thereto and carrying aninternally threaded nut 110 which receives screw 96. Upper frame member112 of wheeled frame 52 have a pair of angle-shaped guides 114 on eachside thereof. Guides 114 have inwardly extending upper flanges 116 whichfit over lower supporting flanges 100. Upon rotation of handwheel 98,wheeled frame 52 and guides 114 are moved along support flanges 100.Thus, the elevation of horizontal portion 58 may be varied as desired.

From the foregoing, an unloading structure has been provided which mayunload from either side of a railway covered hopper car. A conveyorstructure is easily positioned beneath a bottom outlet structure ininterfltting relation and is releasably secured in proper position. Theconveyor structure may be adjustably elevated in a minimum of time forpositioning between the rails and the'bottom outlet structure.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results obtained.

We claim:

1. For use with a bottom discharge outlet positioned cen trally of thewidth of a railway hopper car and having a housing including opposedvertical sides extending in a direction transversely of the railway carand horizontal support flanges beneath the vertical sides extendinginwardly to provide free inner edges not substantially inward of theadjacent vertical sides; an unloading conveyor structure comprising ahorizontal conveyor portion and an integral upwardly inclined conveyorportion, the horizontal conveyor portion adapted to fit beneath saidbottom discharge outlet, and endless conveyor positioned within saidhorizontal portion and said integral upwardly inclined portion forconveying lading discharged from the bottom outlet, said conveyorstructure including opposed vertical sides and upper horizontal supportflanges extending along the opposed sides and adapted to interfit withsaid housing support flanges to provide a connection between saidconveyor structure and the bottom discharge outlet, support wheels onsaid conveyor structure for supporting the conveyor structure formovement, said conveyor flanges being adapted for interfltting with saidhousing flanges from either side of the railway car upon movement of theconveyor structure in a direction transversely of the car and a slidingmovement of the conveyor flanges along the housing flanges, and means toadjust the height of the conveyor support wheels relative to theconveyor structure whereby the height of the conveyor struc turerelative to the bottom discharge outlet may be varied.

2. An unloading structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said guidemeans include interfitting flanges on said inclined conveyor portion andsaid wheeled support frame, and manually actuated screw means arepositioned between the wheeled support frame and the inclined conveyorportion to provide relative movement therebetween.

3. In an unloading conveyor structure adapted to fit beneath the bottomdischarge outlet of a railway hopper car; an horizontal conveyor portionand an integral upwardly inclined conveyor portion, the horizontalconveyor portion adapted to fit beneath said bottom discharge outlet, anendless conveyor on said horizontal portion and on said upwardlyinclined conveyor portion for conveying lading discharged from thebottom discharge outlet, opposed vertical sides having outwardlyextending horizontal support flanges therealong adapted to fit overmating support flanges on the outlet to provide a connection between theconveyor structure and the outlet, support wheels on said conveyorstructure for supporting the conveyor structure for movement, a supportframe for said support wheels mounted on the upwardly inclined conveyorportion, and means mounting the support frame for adjustable movement ina direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the inclinedconveyor portion.

4. In an unloading conveyor structure adapted to fit beneath the bottomdischarge outlet of a railway hopper car; an horizontal conveyor portionand an integral upwardly inclined conveyor portion, the horizontalconveyor portion adapted to fit beneath said bottom discharge outlet, anendless conveyor on said horizontal portion and on said upwardlyinclined conveyor portion for conveying lading discharged from thebottom discharge outlet, opposed vertical sides having upper supportflanges extending horizontally therealong adapted to interfit matingsupport flanges on the outlet to provide a connection between theconveyor structure and the bottom discharge outlet, a wheeled supportframe on the upwardly inclined conveyor portion, guide means mountingthe wheeled support frame for movement along the inclined conveyorportion to vary the height of the conveyor structure whereby theconveyor support flanges are adapted for interfitting with the matingoutlet support flanges, and releasable means adapted to secure theconveyor structure in position beneath the bottom outlet for unloadinglading from the car.

